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DOORS

Lock your doors at all times. Each door to your home should have a peephole or wide angle viewer. If you have a small child, place a step stool next to the door. This way your child can also see who is at the door before letting anyone in.

A solid wooden door or a hollow metal door snugly fit in its frame is most effective for safety, especially when secured with dead-bolt locks and double cylinder locks. A deadbolt is superior to most other locks because it cannot be forced open with a knife, spatula, or similar tool. If the dead-bolt is sufficiently long, 1½.! inches or more, the door becomes nearly impossible to pry open. Install a dead-lock on each outside door to supplement whatever locking devices you are presently using.

A double-cylinder lock is especially useful for doors with glass or wooden panels. This lock requires a key from both the outside and inside, thus preventing an intruder from reaching through broken glass or a broken panel to unlock the door from the inside. However, heed a word of caution about double-cylinder locks: In the event of a fire or a similar emergency, double-cylinder locks can delay occupants from exiting the house. Therefore, a key to the inside lock must always be readily at hand, and always within reach of your child.